Easy Day Trips Outside of Paris, France with a Navigo Pass

Originally published on February 27, 2018, this post may have been edited for clarity and updated with current information.

When I first started exploring cities and villages outside of Paris, I was willing to take TGV trains anywhere for an unreasonably short period of time.

After more careful planning, it became obvious didn’t make sense to take a 2+ hour train one-way to a destination in France for one day.

If you’re visiting Paris either for the first time or for a short period of time, I would advise investing your time exploring the city and spending an afternoon at Versailles.

However, if you’ve already visited Paris multiple times, or if you’re slow-traveling through France, or if you’re living in Paris on a budget, you already have access to visiting different regions of Île-de-France with a Navigo pass.

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1. What is a Navigo pass?
   1. Weekly and Monthly Navigo Pass Rates
2. What is the Île-de-France Mobilités app?
3. Recommended Day Trips from Paris Using the Navigo Pass
   1. Île de la Jatte
   2. Chantilly
   3. Versailles and the Palace Gardens
   4. Giverny
   5. Fontainebleau
   6. Moret-sur-Loing
   7. Provins
4. Additional Day Trip Ideas from Paris, France

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What is a Navigo pass?

A Navigo pass is the public transit pass that can be used for the metro, RER, Transilien, and bus. You can purchase a Navigo pass to use for one day, one week, one month or one year. I would recommend buying a Navigo pass if you’re staying in Paris for one week or more.

Keep in mind that a one-way ticket to Charles de Gaulle airport is 10 euros, so the cost of a weekly Navigo pass for all zones pays for itself.

Weekly and Monthly Navigo Pass Rates

Zones	Weekly Navigo Rate	Monthly Navigo Rate
All Zones (1-5)	€32.40	€90.80
Zones 2-3	€31.80	€88.80
Zones 3-4	€30.80	€86.40
Zones 4-5	€30.40	€84.80

What is the Île-de-France Mobilités app?

The Île-de-France Mobilités app helps users navigate the French public transportation, suggest the best routes, and provides live updates on any service delays or disruptions.

Users can reload their Navigo pass on their mobile phone by following the instructions to enter their credit card information, then tapping their Navigo pass on their phone to complete the transaction.

If you are visiting from outside of France, the app does not work internationally and will only work in France.

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Recommended Day Trips from Paris Using the Navigo Pass

I’ll reiterate what I said before.

While some travelers are more ambitious than others, I wanted to keep this list of suggested trips reasonable and affordable. I personally don’t find value in desperately dashing back and forth from Paris to far-flung distances on the TGV in one day. Instead, I would encourage anyone visiting France—or any country—to thoughtfully plan trips by region or plan on returning to explore more.

Versailles and the Palace Gardens

• Station: Gare d’Austerlitz
• Train: RER C (leaves every 15 minutes)
• Travel Time from Paris: > 1 hour

If possible, it’s worth taking the time to visit Versailles twice.

The first visit should be focused on the Versailles palace interiors, which can take place at any time—I did join The Paris Guy for a Skip-the-Line tour, and it was worth it.

Then, a second visit during the warmer months should be solely focused on the exterior and grounds. I enjoyed my summer stroll exploring the grounds of the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette’s sanctuary from royal court life at the palace.

The interior and grounds of Versailles can be done in one day, but I find that it would be ambitious and taxing instead of enjoyable.

Giverny

• Station: Saint-Lazare
• Train: TER
• Travel Time from Paris: > 1 hour

Giverny is the village known for Claude Monet’s home and gardens, and being the key inspiration for the Impressionist’s waterlily paintings.

The Claude Monet House and Museum is a popular destination and sells out—especially during the spring and summer—so please be sure to secure your tickets in advance. I learned firsthand that it is not possible to wait until you arrive to purchase your tickets.

Fontainebleau

• Station: Gare de Lyon
• Train: Transilien R (leaves every 30 minutes)
• Travel Time from Paris: approximately 1 hour

Another French royal palace not to be missed! The interiors and grounds of Fontainebleau are incredibly opulent. The city of Fontainebleau has a more vibrant downtown. Well worth grabbing lunch and enjoying the afternoon at this sought-after getaway from Paris.

Moret-sur-Loing

• Station: Gare de Lyon
• Train: Transilien R (leaves every 30 minutes)
• Travel Time from Paris: approximately 1 hour

I saw an impressive exhibit of Impressionist Alfred Sisley’s work at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT, and noticed that many of his works towards the end of his life were painted in Moret-sur-Loing. When I realized that the village was easily accessible from Paris, I jumped at the chance to give myself an art history tour of Sisley. I loved wandering through the streets and finding pieces about Sisley and other European figures that once lived in More-sur-Loing. I might be hyping up Moret-sur-Loing too much, but I truly loved visiting this quiet village.

If you don’t want to spend too much time in Moret-sur-Loing, Fontainebleau is on the same Transilien R line.

Provins

• Station: Gare de l’Est
• Train: Transilien P (leaves every hour)
• Travel Time from Paris: > 1.5 hours

Provins is a UNESCO heritage site for its well-preserved medieval aesthetic. It’s an easily walkable city, but it is larger than you would anticipate—I would recommend wearing sneakers for a more comfortable walk along the old cobblestone roads.

Additional Day Trip Ideas from Paris, France

If you’re looking for more day trips outside of Paris, I’ve found these links helpful:

• 12 Best Day Trips from Paris | TripSavvy
• The Complete List of Paris Day Trips | Rearview Mirror